Lamp, Taylor draw attention at NFL Scouting Combine

INDIANAPOLIS — As media interviews and preliminary testing begins at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine, numerous players with WKU connections found themselves as the center of attention on Thursday in Indianapolis.

Coverage of the Combine continues around the clock on NFL Network with on-field workouts beginning for offensive linemen on Friday and for wide receivers on Saturday.

Former All-Americans Forrest Lamp and Taywan Taylor are drawing the most attention as two prospects actively participating in this year’s combine – the second consecutive season for the Hilltoppers to send multiple representatives to the event. However, former stars Tyler Higbee (Los Angeles Rams) and George Fant (Seattle Seahawks) also made waves as their head coaches addressed the media during the round of interviews.

FORREST LAMP

For Lamp, Thursday including interviews and the bench press where he put up 34 reps, the second-most among all offensive linemen. He has continued to see his name climb up the draft boards with many pundits sliding the four-year starter into the first round.

“I think I’m one of the top offensive linemen (here at the combine). Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here,” Lamp said during his media session. “My ability is what got me here. I don’t watch film on other offensive linemen, so I don’t know if I’m the top guy or the 10th-best guy, but I’m here for a reason. I’m versatile and athletic, and teams see me as a center, guard and tackle.”

TAYWAN TAYLOR

Taylor, who was featured in an extensive feature article from Bleacher Report, will meet with the media on Friday and celebrated his birthday ahead of one of the biggest job interviews of his life.

“Taylor is often slow, then fast and then faster,” the article says. “His movements can be sudden and jarring, with speeds changing quickly and at a precise, intricately timed moment.”

Higbee enters his sophomore campaign in Los Angeles under new head coach Sean McVay who, along with general manager Les Snead, spoke highly of his potential at the Combine. According to reports across Twitter during McVay’s media session, the first-year head coach said his offense will use the tight end in multiple ways and has been complimentary of Higbee so far. Snead added that Rams fans should, “expect big things from Tyler Higbee.”

Fant’s unique story of basketball star turned starting left tackle had some questioning whether Seattle was going to continue to move forward with the former Hilltopper protecting Russell Wilson’s blind side. On Thursday, head coach Pete Carroll said Fant “should grow more than anybody could possibly grow,” this offseason, speaking to Fant’s potential to develop into an elite protector on the offensive front.

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